Locking-switch.



E. 0. SESSIONS.

LOCKING SWITCH- APPLICATION FILED JULY 10. I916.

Patented Apr; 3,1917.

Eden???" $256070 0. fieas c one.

, EDSON 0. SESSIONS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

' LOCKIN-SWITCH.

To all whom it may concem Be it known that I, EnsoN SESSIONS, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Locklng-Switches,

' v of which the following is aspecification.

, in order'to prevent accidental opening of the switch, as for example, when an undue rush of current flows through the same. In car rying out my invention, the switch is provided with an operating handle and also with a lock operated thereby, the relation between the two parts being such that the motion of the lock is greater angularly than the motion ofthe handle required to oper- 'ate it. In closing the switch, the lock is free to positively engage its catch to secure and hold the switch in its closed position.

My invention is shown in its preferred embodiment in the-accompanying drawings, in which" Figure 1 shows the complete switch in side view in closed position, 1

Fig. 2 shows in an enlarged scale the operating handle and locking device, shown partially in section to illustrate the construction, and Fig. 3 isa sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 2 taken along the line 33.

Similar numerals refer-to Similar parts throughout the several views.

As shown in Fig. 1, the switch is mounted upon a supporting board or panel 10 and consists of a pivot clip 11 to which the switch blade 12 is pivotally secured at 13, and clip jaws 14 also supported upon the base 10 for receiving the switch blade 12 when the switch is closed.

As more clearly seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the end of the switch blade 12, projecting beyond the clip jaws 14, has secured thereto by suitable rivets or screws a housing 15,

through which a rod 16 extends for support- I ing at its ends a yoke 17 to which'thehandle 18 is rigidly secured by a metal rod 19 extending therethrough. The rod 19 is threaded at its inner end to engagea nut 20, used to hold the handle in place, and the end of the rod projects beyond the nut 20 through a slot 21 formed in the outer wall of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 3, 19117..

' Application filed July 10, 1916. Serial No. 108,362.

housing 15. A second rod-22' extends across the housing 15 in parallel relation to the rod 16 and has'mounted thereon a locking latch 23 provided at its outer end, which projectsthrough the housing, with a hook r 24: for engaging when the'switch is in its closed position, a catch 25 secured to the base of the clipijaws 14. The latch 23 is prov ded with a short arm 26 extending substantially at right angles to the body portion of the latch and through this arm a rod 27' extends which, as indicated in Fig. 3, is provided near its ends with grooves 28. Each groove 28 is engaged by one end of a helical spring 29,- the other end of which is secured tothe housingby a rod 30 extending across'the-housing as indicated. The arm 26 is disposed centrally of the Switch, "so that it isengaged by a projection 31 extending into the housing 15'from the rod 19 when the handle 18-is moved relatively to the housing to open the switch.

From the above it will be observed that I have provided a simple and effective construction by which an operating handle is secured directly to a switch, so that the natural motion of the handle in' opening the .switch first moves the switch lock to its releasing position, after which continued mothermore, motion of the handle in the reverse direction to close the switch permits the switch lock to return to its engaging.

position, so-that when the switch is forced into engagement with the clip jaws 1 1, the

lock or latch may readily yield against the springs 29 to engage the tion of the handle opens the switch. F'ur- While I have shownmy inveritionin the particular embodiment above described, I do not, however, limit myself to this exact construction-as. I may employ any equivalents thereof known to the art at the time of the filing of this application, without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

WhatI claim is: I

1. In a locking switch, the combination of a pair of posts, a switch blade pivoted to housing, a catch catch and a short arm I for engaging said latch to retain said blade and an operating hanin its closed position, dle pivotally supported on said housing and extending therethrough'to engage said latch to move said latch from engagement with said catch when said handle is'operated to open said switch.

2. In a locking switch, the combination of 'apair of posts, a switch one of said posts, contact clips carried by the other post for engaging said blade in its closed position, free end of said blade, otally supported in and carried by said other post for engaging said latch to retain said blade in its closed position, andan operating handle pivotally supported on said housing and extending therethrough to engage said latch to move said latch from engagement with said catch when said handle is operated to open said switch, said latch being in the form of a bell crank lever having a long arm provided with a hook for engaging said lying in the path oi the handle extension to be operated thereby.

3, In a locking switch, the combination of a pair of posts, a switch blade pivoted to one of said posts, contact clips carried bythe other post for engaging said blade in its closed position, a housing carried by the free end of said blade, :1 locking latch pivotally supported in and extending from said housing, acatch carried by said other post for engaging said latch to retain said blade in its closed position, an operating handle pivotally supported on said housing and extending therethrough to engage said latch-- to move said latch from engagement with said catch when said handle is operated to open said switch, s'aid latch being in the I form of a bell crank lever having along arm provided with a hook for engaging said catch and a short arm lying in the path of the handle extension to be operated thereby, and a coil spring tending to hold said latch in its engaging position.

l. In a locking switch the combination of a pair of posts, a switch blade pivoted to one of said posts, contact clips carried by the other post for engaging said blade inits closed position, an inclosedbox shaped housing secured to said housing having a cylindrical end wall,

two rods supported by said housing substan- 1 tially parallel with the pivotal axis of. said blade, a yoke pivotally supported on enact said rods outside of and around the cylindrical end of said housing,. a locking latch blade pivoted to a housing carried by thea locking latch pivextending from said the .free end of said blade,

pivotally s'upportedwithin the housing-upon the other of said rods and extending through said housing, a catch carried by said other post for engaging said latch when the switch blade is closed, and an operating handle secured to said yoke and extending through said housing to engage and release said latch ,when said handle is operated. I

5. In a locking switch, the combination of a pair of posts, a switch blade pivoted to one of said posts, contact clips carried by the other post for engaging said blade in its closed position, an inclosed box' sha'pe'd'housing secured to the free end'of s'aidblade, said housing having a cylindrical, end wall, two rods supported by said housing substantially parallel with the pivotal axis of said blade, a yoke pivotally supported on one of said rods outside of and around the cylindrical end of said housing, a locking latch pivotally supported within the housingupon the other ofsaid rods and extending through said housing, a catch carried by said other post for engaging said latch when the switch blade is closed, and an operating handle secured to said yoke and extending through said housing to engage and release said latch when said handle is operated, said latch being in the form of a bell crank lever having a long arm provided with a hook for engaging said catch and a short arm lying in the path of the handle extension to be operated thereby.

6. In a locking switch, the combination of a pair of posts, a switch blade pivoted to one of said posts, contact clips carried by the other post for engaging said blade in its closed position, an inclosed .box shaped housing secured to the free end of said blade, said housing having a cylindrical end wall, two rods supported by said housing substantially, parallel with the pivotal axis of said blade, a yoke pivotally one of said rods outside of and around the cylindrical end of said housing, a locking latch pivotally supported within the housing upon the otherof said'rods and extend.- ing through said housing, a catch carried by said other post for engaging said latch when the switch blade is closed, an operating handle secured to said through said housingto engage and release said latch when said handle is operated, said latchbeing in the form of a bell crank lever having a long arm provided with a hook'tor engaging said catch and ashort arm lying in the path of the handle extension to be operated thereby, and a coil spring tending to hold said latch in its engaging position.

7. In a locking switch, the combination of a pair of posts, a switch blade pivoted to one of'said posts, contact clips carriedby the other post for engaging said blade in its closed position, a housing carried by the free end of said blade, a locking latch pivsupported on yoke and extending tending therethrou'gh to engage said latch to 'move said lateh' from engagement with open said switch, said. latch being in the form of a bell crank-lever having a long arm provided with a hook for engaging. said catch and a short arm lying in the path of the handle extension tobe operated thereby, a rod extending through the short .end of said bell cranklever, and a spring extend-- ing from each end of said rod to said h0us f ing to hold' said latch in its engaging position,

8. Inalocking switch, the combination of a pair of posts, a switch blade pivoted to one of said posts, contact clips carriedhy the other post for engaging said blade in its closed position, a housing carried by the free end of said blade, a locking latch pivotally supported in and extending from said housing, a catch carried by said other post for engaging said latch to retain said blade in its closed position, an operatinghandle pivotally supported on said housing and extending thereth'rough to engage said latch to move sa d latch from'engagement with saidcatch whensaid handle is open ated to open said switch, arod extending through said latch, and a spring extending from each end of said rodto said housing to hold .said latch in its engaging position.

9. In a locking switch, thecombination of a pair of posts, a switch blade pivoted to i one of said posts, contact clips carried by the other post for engaging said blade in its closed position, a bell crank lever pivotally connected to the free end of. said blade and having a first armformed into a latch and a, second arm for operating. said latch, a catch carried by said other post forengaging said latch when the blade is in its closed position,..and an operating handle carried by and movable relatively to the free end of said blade, said handle having a portion for engaging said second arm, whereby motion of said handle relatively to said blade moves 7 'said latch to its releasing position.-

I ing said latch when the blade is in its closed 10. ln a locking switch, the combination of'a pair of posts,a switch blade pivoted to one of said posts, contact clips carried by the other post for engaging said blade in its closed position, a bell crank lever pivotally connected to the free end of said blade and having a first arm formed into a latch and a second arm --'for operating said latch, a catch carried by said other post'for engagposition. and an operating handle carried by and movable relatively to the free end blade, said handle having a portion motion of said handle. said catch when said handle is operated to havin for engaging said second arm, whereby motion of said handle relatively to said blade moves said latch to its releasing position, said second arm being shorter than said first arm, whereby the motion of said latch when operatedrby said handle is greater than the ing said latch when the blade is in its closed position, and an operating handle carried by and movable relatively to the free end of said blade, said handle having a portion for engaging said second arm, whereby mo-.

.tion of said handle relatively to said blade moves said-latch to its releasing position,

said handle .being pivoted to engage said second arm with a lever arm longer than the lever arm of said second arm.,

12. In a locking switch, the combination of a pair of posts, a switch blade pivoted to one of said posts, contact clips carried by. the other post for engaging said blade in its closed position, a bell crank lever pivotally connected to the free end of said blade and having a first arm formed into a latch anda second arm for operating said latch, acatch carried by said other post for engaging said latch when the blade is in its closed posi movable relatively to the free end of said blade, said handle having a portion for engaging said second arm, whereby motion of said handle relatively. tosaid blade 'moves tion, an operating handle-carried by and closed position, a bell crank lever pivotally connected to the free end ofsaid blad 'and having a first arm formed into a latch and a'second arm for operating said latch, a

catch carried by said other post for engaging said latch when the blade is in its closed position, an operating handle carried by and movable relatively to the free end of said blade, said handle having a portion for engagilig said second arm, whereby motion of said handle relatively to said blade moves said lateh to its releasing 1 iosition,--saidsee ond arm being shorter than said first arm, whereby the motion of said latch when operated by said handleis greater than the motion of said handle, and a spring for holding said latch in its engaging position.

14. In a looking switoh, the combination of a pair of posts. a switch blade pivoted to one of said posts, contact clips carried by the other post for engaging said blade in its closed position, a bell crank lever pivotally connected to the free end of said blade and having a first arm formed into a latch and a second arm for operating said latch, a catch oarriuil by said other post for engaging, said latch when the blade is in its closed position, an operating handle carried by and movable relatively to the free end of said arm of said second arm, a-nd blade, said handle having a portion for engaging said second arm, whereby motion of said handle relatively to said blade moves said latch to its releasing position, said handle being pivoted to engage said second arm with a lever arm longer than the lever a spring for holding said latch in its engaging position. In witness whereof, T hereunto subscribe my name this 6th day of July, A. D. 1916.

, EDSON O. SESSIONS.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. 0." 

